By Fox News (U.S.) | Created at 2026-09-17 20:30:56 | Updated at 2026-09-17 21:09:04
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A Texas Air National Guard pilot was forced to eject from a fighter jet during a "mishap" Thursday in Michigan, officials said.
The pilot, who is with the 149th Fighter Wing based at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, was flying a routine training mission in an F-16, when the unspecified mishap occurred seven miles south of Grand Traverse, Michigan, a unit spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
The pilot ejected before the crash and is in stable condition, officials said.
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A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft flies in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Aug. 5, 2026. A Texas Air National Guard pilot flying a training mission ejected from a fighter jet just before it crashed in Michigan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Adriana Jordan-Alcaniz, File)
No further information about the crash or the pilot was disclosed.
"I’m aware of the plane crash near Traverse City," U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., wrote on social media. "I am closely monitoring the situation as we work to get more information on the incident. I am praying that the pilot and folks on the ground are safe."
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An F-16 jet fighter is seen over San Diego. (Getty Images, File)
Video footage posted to X shows black smoke rising into the sky from what is presumably the crash site.
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The Grand Traverse Emergency Management Agency ordered everyone within a mile of the site to evacuate the area.
"Evacuate away from the intersection of Co Rd 633 and Jefferson Pl. Follow instructions from emergency personnel," the agency said.
